Absolutely outstanding –Danny Baker, BBC
[This] book lights up and whirls like one of the greasy carnival rides in Mr. Wait's own sprawling oeuvre –
The New York Times Hoskyn's superlative overview of one of America's major (though idiosyncratic) popular artists will likely stand as the best book on his life
–Library Journal (starred review)
Hoskyns persevered in writing the first Waits biography, netting fascination firsthand stories, terrific photographs, and fanatically detailed information about studio sessions and concerts...the result is a respectful, entertaining, and revelatory portrait set within a vivid cultural context.–
Booklist It's about time [Waits] received biographical homage from a rock writer of the stature of Hoskyns.–Stephen Poole,
The Guardian Comprehensive and judicious. [Waits] could not have found a more respectful, sympathetic and knowledgeable biographer if he'd chosen him himself.–Mick Brown,
The Word Thanks to his diligence. His Californian connections and some magazine interviews he conducted long ago with Waits, Hoskyn's life comes across as convincingly lifelike.–Robert Sandall,
The Sunday Times